How Lauri Markkanen's new Jazz contract impacts NBA trade market

Every NBA offseason is always filled with twists and turns. One week, it appears as if a certain player is going to be on the move. Then things change the very next week until an outcome is eventually reached. That is what has happened with Utah Jazz All-Star Lauri Markkanen, as a lot changed over the course of the last month, leading to what has become a pretty quiet and dormant trade market across the NBA.

When free agency began and teams scrambled to figure out what moves to make, Markkanen became the key name on the trade block. Although the Jazz were not actively reaching out to teams to try and move the Finnish forward, Danny Ainge and Utah's front office kept an open mind to teams approaching them. Rather than specifying a price for teams to pay, the discussions coming from the Jazz were more oriented towards the ideology of, “Well, what are you willing to offer?”

Every player in the league has a price — some being more realistic than others. The Jazz, a rebuilding organization in a heavily contested Western Conference, are multiple steps away from turning around their recent misfortunes. Even though trading Markkanen could return a handful of future assets, the Jazz still envision themselves being able to win in the next few seasons. This is especially true so long as Markkanen is on the floor. That is the main reason why Utah never advanced to deep trade negotiations revolving around Markkanen this offseason.

A variety of teams, including the Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs, pushed for Markkanen to be on the move. The Warriors were the most aggressive team pursuing Markkanen, yet the steep requirements Utah had set forth were unrealistic for Golden State. Whereas the Warriors were willing to offer recent first-round pick Moses Moody and a few first-round draft assets, the Jazz were wanting conversations to start with All-Rookie performer Brandin Podziemski, whom the Warriors have made untouchable in talks with other teams, league sources told ClutchPoints. Jonathan Kuminga is another youthful talent Golden State held no interest in trading this offseason.

With no intriguing offers coming their way and the Jazz holding high interest in ensuring Markkanen that he is the future of their organization, the two sides renegotiated and extended the star's contract on Wednesday. Markkanen is now under contract with Utah through the 2028-29 season, and he will make a total of $238 million over the next five seasons.

The Jazz, who set the bar high on the NBA trade market the last couple of seasons due to what they had received for both Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert in the past, have once again directly influenced the market as a whole. Markkanen remaining in Utah and not being traded has many pondering who the next big name to become available will be.

Brandon Ingram and Zach LaVine are two proven All-Star talents who have heard their names come up in a lot of rumors throughout the course of the last several months, but is either player a legitimate candidate to be traded before the start of the 2024-25 season? Elsewhere around the league, a handful of experienced, veteran players find themselves in interesting situations where they could be moved at any moment.

The NBA trade market as a whole has taken a hit with the recent news surrounding Markkanen, which is why speculation has begun as to which players will become the top targets.

Brandon Ingram, Zach LaVine trade markets quiet

Of course, the first two names everyone gravitates to with Markkanen off the market are Brandon Ingram and Zach LaVine. Both stars have heard their names in discussions all summer, and the Chicago Bulls have been looking to move LaVine for over a year now.

Starting with Ingram, his situation is a lot more unclear. Like Markkanen, before he signed his new extension with the Jazz, Ingram is entering the final year of his contract with the New Orleans Pelicans. The 26-year-old is set to make $36 million over the course of the 2024-25 season before becoming an unrestricted free agent next summer, unless he receives an extension.

At this time, it is extremely unlikely that a new deal is coming Ingram's way, and it is equally unlikely that he will be traded. The Pelicans believe they are in a very competitive spot in the Western Conference, especially after trading for Dejounte Murray earlier this offseason. Despite Ingram entering the final year of his contract, New Orleans isn't going to trade him just for the sake of making a move.

Executive David Griffin is always very strategic with the moves he makes, which is why we should expect a similar approach with Ingram as we just saw with Markkanen and Utah. If the right offer comes their way, the Pelicans will seriously entertain the thought of moving on from Ingram. However, with very little interest existing right now and many teams not having the capability to bring in a player making $36 million this late in the summer, the chances of Ingram beginning the 2024-25 season in New Orleans are extremely high.

After all, a core group that consists of Ingram, Murray, Zion Williamson, CJ McCollum, Herb Jones, and Trey Murphy III has a chance to grow into one of the best two-way rosters in the entire league. The Pelicans are prepared to play the waiting game and see how things go to begin the new season.

Over in the Eastern Conference, the Bulls continue to sort through what has become one of the most confusing rosters in the NBA. DeMar DeRozan is now with the Sacramento Kings, while Alex Caruso is with the Oklahoma City Thunder. LaVine and Nikola Vucevic are the two veteran stars remaining on Chicago's roster, with Coby White, Josh Giddey, and Patrick Williams to be featured as the young core of the future. Rookie forward Matas Buzelis should also be thrown into that grouping, as he has a chance to stand out during his first year in the league.

There truly isn't much to discuss pertaining to LaVine and the trade market right now. Essentially, he doesn't have a market, which was the case over the course of the 2023-24 season. LaVine is a really talented scorer and a proven athlete who can play in many different positions. However, the contract he signed in 2022 is one of the worst pertaining to the league's new first and second apron rules.

The Bulls star is entering the third season of a five-year, $215 million contract and is set to make roughly $43 million during the 2024-25 season. In the midst of August, an assortment of teams find themselves hard-capped, and a total of nine organizations are either over the first or second tax apron. Finding a way to absorb a $43 million contract is not easy whatsoever, and the teams that could potentially trade for LaVine haven't expressed any interest to this point.

It continues to look more and more likely that LaVine will begin the season with the Bulls and try to repair his value, which has reached a new low. A trade involving LaVine prior to the start of 2025 would be a complete shock to virtually everyone around the NBA.

Trail Blazers setting stage for potential trades

The NBA trade market could realistically be shaped by the Portland Trail Blazers during the 2024-25 season.

One year after trading Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks, the Blazers still find themselves stuck in limbo with no clear direction laid out. In fact, Portland drafting Donovan Clingan with the seventh overall pick has added even more question marks surrounding the future of this organization.

The Blazers finished the 2023-24 season with a 21-61 record, their worst finish since the 2005-06 season. All indications point in the direction of continuing to focus on their youthful core, which means Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe will see their roles increased. This also means Anfernee Simons and Jerami Grant have suddenly become two of the most talked about players regarding trade conversations.

There is no denying that the Blazers are open for business. Joe Cronin and his front office were aggressive on the trade block last offseason before and after moving Lillard, and they will once again be at the center of trade talks over the course of the next few months heading into the 2024-25 NBA season.

Grant being discussed in trade rumors should not be shocking whatsoever. The veteran was kind of blindsided by Lillard and the organization after signing his $160 million contract last offseason, and he doesn't necessarily fit the timeline the Blazers have constricted for themselves with youthful, inexperienced talents. The 30-year-old forward is the type of talent who can join a contending team and aid them in their pursuit of a title right now, which is a description that isn't synonymous with Portland whatsoever.

The Los Angeles Lakers have been mentioned on numerous occasions as a trade candidate for Grant. However, their lack of valuable draft assets is unappealing to what the Blazers will be seeking in a possible trade for Grant. The Blazers also hold zero interest in D'Angelo Russell, sources said, who is the Lakers' best trade asset. Aside from the Lakers, the Sacramento Kings and San Antonio Spurs are two teams that showed interest in Grant before he was even with Portland. Some around the league have wondered if the Toronto Raptors would be interested in pursuing Grant as a means to become relevant again in the Eastern Conference.

Although he has not been on the trade block, talk of Simons being on the move is expected to grow as the 2024-25 season progresses. Simons, Henderson, and Sharpe won't be sharing the court with one another, and the Blazers drafted Henderson third overall in 2023 with the mindset of him being their point guard of the future. As he enters the third year of his current four-year, $100 million contract, Simons will be a realistic trade target for any team seeking a 25-year-old guard who has proven that he has what it takes to lead a backcourt as a passer and scorer.

Then there is the elephant in the room at the center position. After drafting Clingan, it has become clear that Deandre Ayton's future with Portland is beginning to fade. At some point, the Blazers and Ayton are expected to part ways, sources said, yet the former first overall pick doesn't command a market at this time. It is also worth mentioning that the team has not engaged in any serious discussions with any team involving the former first overall pick. The organization still values his leadership, and Ayton figures to be a big part of their plans for the 2024-25 season.

Portland's frontcourt also consists of veteran center Robert Williams III, who is coming off of knee surgery that limited him to only six games this past year. Williams was the defensie anchor for the Boston Celtics when they made the NBA Finals in 2022, and his $12.4 million contract for the upcoming season is very much obtainable for plenty of playoff-contending teams. Williams is at the front of the line to be traded  heading into the new season.

Bucks evaluating Khris Middleton's future

The Milwaukee Bucks are a very interesting team to talk about in the Eastern Conference. Since winning the 2021 NBA Finals, the Bucks have failed to make it to the Eastern Conference Finals, losing in the first round of the postseason in back-to-back seasons. All of the drama surrounding the organization firing Adrian Griffin halfway into his first season and replacing him with Doc Rivers also looms large heading into the new season.

Overall, the Bucks are a team that expects to win the Eastern Conference. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Lillard are two of the best players in the entire world, and Khris Middleton has proven himself to be the perfect secondary star in Milwaukee. The conundrum the Bucks currently face with Middleton is the veteran wing has only played in 88 games over the span of the last two seasons.

Set to turn 33 on August 12, Middleton is entering a big year as it pertains to his future in Milwaukee. While he does own a $34 million player option for the 2025-26 season, the Bucks wing is suddenly becoming a star-level player that NBA personnel are pinpointing as a possible addition to the trade market.

At this time, there have been zero indications coming from Milwaukee that they are wanting to move on from Middleton. It is quite the opposite, actually, as the Bucks are excited to see Middleton return to form with a clean bill of health next to Giannis and Dame. Rumors about Middleton possibly hitting the trade block stem from speculation that Milwaukee may once again find postseason disappointment.

Antetokounmpo is not going to be going anywhere, at least from the organization's standpoint, and Lillard is not going to be moved either. That leaves Middleton as the odd man out, especially if things don't go the way management and ownership intended.

The Bucks, who own the third-highest total cap ahead of the 2024-25 season, are a second apron team. The long-term financial restrictions this franchise faces are going to catch up to them sooner than later, and Middleton may wind up being the Milwaukee veteran who gets sacrificed as a result. This is more of a situation to watch develop over the course of the next year, as Middleton is not a player the Bucks are actively looking to trade at this time.

Identifying the rest of the trade market

The trade market as a whole doesn't present much value at the moment. Very few teams are actually looking to make a trade late in the offseason, resulting in many around the league wondering who the next wave of players to become available includes.

We should look no further than the Brooklyn Nets to find the answers we are looking for. After trading Mikal Bridges and putting a point of emphasis on reclaiming lost draft assets, it is clear to see the Nets aren't going to be a contending threat during the 2024-25 season. This is why Brooklyn is going to be making several deals between now and the trade deadline, as Cam Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Bojan Bogdanovic highlight the list of veteran players they can trade. Dennis Schroder is another interesting player since he has been having a great summer with Germany in the Olympics and is entering the final year of his contract.

Johnson is the player many teams have inquired about this summer. The Nets have remained firm on their asking price of multiple draft picks, sources said, with the thought being that Brooklyn won't be giving up their sharpshooting wing unless they are to receive at least two valuable, immediate first-round picks. Without Bridges, Johnson is going to be thrust into the role of being one of the Nets' main scoring weapons next to Cam Thomas. The 28-year-old's role is only set to increase, meaning his value will begin to skyrocket ahead of the trade deadline.

The Cleveland Cavaliers, Sacramento Kings, Toronto Raptors, Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers, and Golden State Warriors have been among the various teams that have held discussions about trading for Johnson this offseason. There was no heavy traction on a deal through the month of July, sources said.

Finney-Smith is another player multiple playoff-contending teams have shown interest in, and his price tag is less from a contractual standpoint since he is going to make $14.9 million during the 2024-25 season, followed by a $15.3 million player option. Keep an eye on teams like the Houston Rockets, Miami Heat, Memphis Grizzlies, and Magic getting in the mix for Finney-Smith should he begin the 2024-25 season in Brooklyn.

Aside from the Nets, the Raptors are another interesting team in the East that seems destined to make some sort of change to their roster. With Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley, and RJ Barrett locked in as this team's core, Masai Ujiri and the Raptors will likely be aggressive in their pursuit of more win-now talents to escalate the retool this organization has gone through since winning their only championship in 2019. Bruce Brown Jr. remains on Toronto's roster, and he finds himself a key trade asset on the block with his $23 million expiring contract.

Prior to the 2024 NBA trade deadline, the Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers, and Warriors had all expressed interest in Brown. The Denver Nuggets also explored the possibility of bringing Brown back, yet the money doesn't work for them unless Denver is willing to part ways with Michael Porter Jr. There are no indications at this time suggesting the Nuggets will make such a move. Brown will likely remain on the Raptors' roster through the first several weeks of the regular season.

Kelly Olynyk is another player expected to hit the trade block in Toronto. In a surprising move ahead of the trade deadline last season, the Raptors acquired Olynyk from the Utah Jazz in exchange for a 2024 first-round pick and some non-valued contracts. Toronto then extended Olynyk on a two-year, $26.25 million contract, giving them the option to flip the stretch big man for more value in the future. A $12.8 million salary makes the veteran big man very attainable for many teams around the league.

The Eastern Conference as a whole features a handful of players expected to be on the trade block in the coming months. Cole Anthony from the Magic and Ayo Dosunmu from the Bulls are two younger guards who may find themselves pushed out of minutes with their respective teams. Anthony, who played in a career-high 81 games this past year, is going to start to find himself competing for minutes with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Anthony Black in Orlando's backcourt. With Jalen Suggs in the final year of his contract and set to be paid in the near future, Anthony's days in Orlando could very well be numbered.

The same goes for Dosunmu in Chicago, as Coby White's ascendance to being the Bulls' lead guard and the addition of Josh Giddey throw the former second-round pick back to the bench. The Bulls added Chris Duarte in the offseason and continue to develop Dalen Terry behind the scenes, making Dosunmu a very interesting guard for any team looking to pursue a lengthy ball handler who can push the tempo in transition.

Of course, Kyle Kuzma remains a focal point in trade conversations for the Washington Wizards. The asking price there has not changed — at least two first-round picks. To this point, it is unknown if the Wizards have received this type of offer from any team for Kuzma, but the Kings did show heavy interest in him before utilizing their 13th overall pick in this past June's draft to take Devin Carter, who is expected to miss a good chunk of his rookie season with a shoulder injury. Even though they could also operate as sellers this upcoming year, the Raptors are another team to keep tabs on regarding Kuzma.

With the trade market scarce at this time, the focus in the Western Conference continues to be on the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers. Whereas the Warriors have struck out in their attempts to trade for Paul George and Lauri Markkanen, the Clippers have quietly been creating flexibility by letting George go. This has allowed Los Angeles to bring in the likes of Derrick Jones Jr., Kris Dunn, Nic Batum, and Kevin Porter Jr.

Still, questions remain about what the Clippers have planned with PJ Tucker and Terance Mann, two players entering the final year of their contracts that combine to make just under $23 million. If there is one thing known around the league, it's that Steve Ballmer envisions his team being at the top of the Western Conference in their first season playing at the new Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. Lofty expectations may very well result in the Clippers being aggressive over the first few months of the regular season in trade talks.

The Warriors, too, have questions to answer, specifically about who is going to remain with the organization long-term. Stephen Curry is going to be receiving a contract extension offer from the team prior to the start of the season, but what will occur with Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody? The possibility of extending Kuminga leads to more questions being asked about Andrew Wiggins' future with Golden State, as well as if Kevon Looney or Gary Payton II will be moved in a midseason trade since they are in the final year of their respective contracts.

This organization is used to competing for championships. Despite missing the playoffs last year, the Warriors remain optimistic about their chances of competing in the West, especially with a revamped roster that features more secondary scoring. There is still a clear need for a No. 2 scoring option alongside Curry, which is why league personnel expect the Dubs to pull off some sort of big move ahead of the trade deadline in February. It is unexpected that this move will happen ahead of training camp.